Greetings all - 
A number of birders have visited Lorain the past few days to be "surprised" by the current Army Cor activity at the site. Lorain is going to be heavily affected, habitat-wise, now through next week. This is what is happening now: Diggers and dozers are at the impoundment for the next 2 weeks. They're taking existing dredge within the unit and building up the dike wall to an additional 2 feet. So the "trail" around the impound will be raised by 2 feet of soil. They're draining the impoundment to prep for an additional pumping of river dredge next year (2012). Already, within the past day, the report is that water has dropped by 8 inches. Mudflats will change rapidly now through the weekend and early next week. 
As birders we can appreciate the amazing habitat that Lorain offered migrants and breeders this year. Since the site is and has always been designated a CDF (confined disposal facility) for river dredge soils, it is no surprise that the site will be utilized "to capacity." The work that is currently being done on the site is, again, preparation for another filling of dredge soil in 2012. 
From a natural area and conservation standpoint, there IS hope for Lorain Impoundment to, in the future, remain a site that will be preserved for birds and other wildlife. Obviously the site will be dramatically altered, but in the long-run, the 57-acre site MIGHT be managed for wildlife. 
This depends on a number of factors. Particularly, the union of the City of Lorain, Lorain County Metroparks, EPA, ODNR, Port Authority, and Army Cor. 
Lorain County Metroparks IS interested and working towards a master plan, WITH the City of Lorain, EPA, Army Cor, and ODNR, that would preserve the Lorain impoundment site, to a certain percentage, for wildlife. 
Much of this weighs on ODNR's allowance for structures to be built on the CDF site (the impound).
The "happy medium" of the situation would involve COMPROMISE between the addition of economical growth (seasonal condos, an outdoor theater, restaurants) to be built on-site surrounding the impoundment, with, hopefully, a 50 to 80% preservation of the impoundment for natural area/park. 
Without money-generating businesses on site, the proposed future natural area of Lorain Impoundment may not be able to be managed for wildlife/habitat (for invasive species, particularly phragmites). 
What we, as birders and naturalists can hope for and work towards: A) supporting Lorain County Metroparks acquisition of a majority of the current impound site acreage. This means an understanding that "economic growth" in the way of hopefully-low impact businesses built on the site are met with birder/naturalist compromise. A "necessary evil" to a certain extent. Some of the funds generated from restaurants/marina/theater would go back to preservation of the impound site as a natural area/park. 
B) IF the site remains as-is after the final dredge (2012) is added to the unit, and if it is decided that Lorain County Metroparks and the City of Lorain CANNOT build on the site, there is a CHANCE, a slight chance, that local organizations such as Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Western Reserve Land Conservancy, Black River Audubon, Western Cuyahoga Audubon, etc. could come together to work towards a Coastal Sea Grant and/or other grants/raised funds to manage the impound site as a wildlife area. It's a long way off and a shot in the dark but it is possible. 
Habitat management is an enormously time-consuming and money-consuming process. Managing even the phragmites on the site takes YEARS and constant work and effort. 
Ohio birders should look at the situation in fact, optimism, and compromise. You may be "upset" that you lost your shorebird habitat this fall, but consider the FUTURE of the site. It was always supposed to be filled to capacity as a CDF. What will happen to the site in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015? We have a huge chance to speak up for the importance of the site as a migratory flyway hotspot for threatened and endangered species. We have a huge chance to speak up for a compromise between preservation and management of the site while understanding that the City of Lorain is monetarily destitute and in need of funds-generating businesses. 
In the near future, it should be decided by the powers that be as to whether or not businesses will be allowed to be built on-site. In that event, support of Lorain County Metroparks acquisition of 50 to 80% of the impound site (total 57 acres) would be the WIN-WIN situation. If businesses are NOT allowed be built on site, consider your role as a naturalist in supporting local organizations (time and money) in the possible future management of the impound site. If one of these two things do not happen, Lorain Impoundment will sit as an unproductive stand of phragmites (without mudflats and wetland) for the next XX years...


Today, Larry Richardson had 14 species of shorebirds at the site including Western and White-rumped Sandpipers, American Golden-Plover, and Whimbrel (Whimbrel took off to the east early this A.M.). 

Best - Jen BrumfieldCLE [log in to unmask]


                                                                                  
______________________________________________________________________

Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society.
Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list.
Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/.

You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at:
http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS
Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]